New Beginnings
by yyumi
Summary: Cloud decides to save Kadaj at the end and gives him a second chance, but how will Cloud and him start a new relationship when his once enemy saved his own life from close death? Cloud x Kadaj
1. Confusion

Whoo! I watched advent children and it was such an awsome movie XD! I wanted to write a fanfic, so yeah, pairing is Cloud x Kadaj!

Chapter One: Confusion

The sky had turned into a pink and purple color, cloudy skys forming already above.

Cloud walked silently. Everything surrounding him seemed to have been forgotten and ignored quickly as his mind focused on something else---something more important. He continued walking, while his light footsteps made its own soft noise only when the heels of his black boots crushed and met with the broken glasses and dirted wood beneath him as they shattered into pieces. He was carrying someone. In his own arms.

The blonde haired ex SOILDER had a calm, yet slightly worried look on his features everytime he looked down at the person in his arms. He studied and observed him when the other's position caught the 23 year old man's brief attention at the exact moment. Cloud blinked slowly, the same expression never fading from his slightly feminine face. It was him: Kadaj, the silver haired boy in his arms.

Cloud's mako blue eyes met with the other's face first, observing carefully and slowly. Kadaj's eyes were closed, his head bent back lifelessly, accentuating the length his elegant neck and throat where Cloud's eyes met with next, then finally down to the wound where the blonde man himself had stabbed the boy in the previous battle between them. It was still bleeding badly.

Nii-san.

The word repeated over and over inside Cloud's head. It was the same word the youth called out to him before going completely unconcious. He remembered how he sounded...so weak.

"Brother..." Cloud whispered softly, reminding himself what the boy said when he lost balance and fell right into the man's strong and muscular arms from lack of strength. Cloud shook his head and snapped himself back to reality when he noticed that the wound was worsening, and attempting to remove any more thoughts disrupting him any longer, he decided to take Kadaj to somewhere where the ex SOILDER could possibly help him. His own enemy. It wasn't right, but he couldn't just leave the boy alone to die knowing he had a serious wound.

Cloud had found a resting spot since the blonde was alittle exhausted from everything happening around him. He really didn't know what to do in this type of situation, and it drove him insane, almost crazy, and his head pounded heavily. He groaned softly, almost losing his own balance, but regained his composure when the sudden thought of not accidentally wanting to injure Kadaj even more made him continue his motivation more carefully. The blye eyed young swordsman heard the silver haired boy groan softly when he lowered him.

"N-Nii-san..."

Cloud stopped, and stared down at the youth, instantly surprised by the youth's sudden awakening which he had not been expecting. Kadaj's green cat-like eyes fluttered open, but weakily, and his lips parted slowly enough to take in some oxygen into his lungs. Cloud couldn't force himself to speak so suddenly by the awkward feeling taking over him, so the continuation of starting at one another was the only option he was comfortable with at the moment. He blinked once more, mouth parted as well.

Kadaj had passed out once more before he could speak his second word to the man, and Cloud, suddenly alerted by this quick action, caught the boy's falling head once more against his gloved hand, and silver strands from Kadaj's hair tangled between Cloud's fingers.

"Ngn." A small quiet noise escaped the blonde's lips.

He needed a better treatment, and fast. Cloud looked around carefully, noticing where they were at. No one was here. As his head was turned from side to side the silver wolf earring on his left eat glinted brightly from the high sun. Cloud picked him up once more and carried him back to where Tifa and the others were at. He had no other choice...

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Meanwhile At the bar Tifa and the others had already finished helping all of the children get cured from the geostigma. Everyone looked so happy and overjoyed, and the kids played in the water for several more minutes, splashing each other playfully. Tifa turned her head to Yuffie who was standing right next to her, the young ninja girl.

"Do you know where Cloud is?" Tifa asked curiously.

"Hmm...I haven't seen him." She responded half worridly. "Where do you think he ran off to? It's been hours..." She sighed softly.

"Where could he be?" Tifa groaned out loud and shook her head, resting a hand on the back of her head. "That kid..."

She looked around once more, spotting Cid in front of her. She walked up to him.

"Have you seen Cloud?" She tried asking Cid.

"Nope." Cid answered, shrugging. "That kid better not be making any kind of trouble..." he chuckled softly.

"Oi, Cloud isn't that type at all." Tifa laughed. "We all trust him, don't we?"

"Yes!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Looks like the kids are fine now. We should take them back inside now..." Barret said.

Tifa nodded. "C'mon everyone! Back inside!"

Both Marlene and Denzel looked at each other and smiled before running into the building together hand in hand, but Denzel suddenly stopped when he found something missing, and immediately ran back to Tifa. "Tifa...where is Cloud?" The boy asked, frowning.

"I don't know, but I'm sure he'll be back soon..." Tifa smiled softly, not wanting to show the child her slight frustration towards the man behind her voice.

"I miss him..."

"I know..." She smiled, and grabbed the boy's hand and they both walked together inside with everyone else joining along.

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Exhausted and after going through some personal problems, Cloud had finally made it to the bar when night almost came. Kadaj was still in his arms, and the boy's weight gave Cloud his own problems for carrying him any longer. Cloud stood in front of the door, sighing softly, before turning the knob handle and entering quietly in the room.

Shut.

"Who is it?" Tifa half yelled happily, walking in. She gasped loudly when she saw the blonde holding one of the dangerous men who attempted to kill her and the rest. Her eyes widened in slight fear.

"Tifa..." Cloud spoke, hiding his face as the man turned his head slightly to the side, not wanting to keep any kind of eye contact with the shocked girl.

"Cloud!" She quickly ran up to him, worried sick. "Are you okay? What happened?" She demanded harshly. She gently touched his face to see any bruises or marks, but Cloud protested by flinching back slightly.

"It's nothing..." Cloud shook his head, his long blonde bands swaying gently in front of his face. Tifa instantly turned her attention towards the smaller boy laying in Cloud's arms.

"Why are you helping this boy? He tried to kill us! Even you...Cloud..." Tifa wanted an explanation, but the blonde was too tired to argue with her. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes.

"Onegai, Tifa," Cloud opened his eyes and looked at her calmly as usual with his soft expression, blue mako eyes meeting her own. "He needs help..." he spoke.

"Cloud, what has gotten into you? First you don't show up earlier when everyone was worried and wondering where you were, and then you run off somewhere without even telling us, and now you bring HIM into OUR home. You can't expect other people to know where you're at if you don't even tell us in the first place."

"...I never said I was expecting you to." Cloud replied calmly once more, closing his now narrowed eyes as he slightly turned his head away. "I just wanted to be alone." his voice grew with a more stronger tone, almost matching Tifa's.

"You're so weird! Do whatever you want..." She stormed off quickly, leaving Cloud by himself with Kadaj. The man lowered his head, bangs covering his eyes, and spoke something almost too soft for anyone to even hear, but he heard himself very clearly.

"I don't want to kill anyone anymore...thats why..."

Cloud carried Kadaj upstairs to one of the empty rooms available that no one was using. Once entering the silent and dark room, he gently laid Kadaj onto the soft bed. The boy's head softly hit the pillow first, then the rest of his body joined with him. Cloud left him for only tempoarily to search for some bandages and aid kits. Luckily he had found some in the bathroom, and quickly returned to Kadaj's bed. The blonde man pulled a empty chair beside the bed, and sat down beside the sleeping youth.

Cloud gently wrapped bandages around the infected wound, careful not to wake the boy up. Kadaj moaned softly.

"Mother..."

Cloud blinked.. Kadaj's eyes then shot open, wide and fearful. He looked at the blonde man sitting beside him, and quickly rolled his head back to the opposite where he faced and stared back at the wall. "Mother...mother...mother..." the boy's voice grew more louder.

Cloud placed a wet cloth on top of the boy's forehead, but the youth quickly sat up from bed and screamed his lungs out. "MOTHER!" then he screamed a loud yell once more, clutching onto his head.

"Kadaj...!" Cloud grabbed the screaming youth's shoulders and shook him gently.

"Don't touch me!" The boy hissed dangerously, attempting to push the older man away from him, but failed as Cloud was stronger than his current weak body. "I need mother..."

Either Kadaj was having a bad nightmare and going insane from it, or a part of him still desparetly wanting the reunion was unknown to Cloud, but whatever it was the blonde man had to stop this for now.

"Stop it, Kadaj... Jenova is dead."

"Uresei! Don't speak of mother that way! No...she's not...she's...ngghhh..." Kadaj suddenly felt more weak, and having no energy to support himself any longer, he leaned against Cloud's chest and started crying softly. Cloud looked down, loosening his grip on the boy's shoulders.

"Doishite...Doishite..." he whined, attempting to speak properly, but his voice broke badly.

Cloud remained silent.

"WHY DID YOU SAVE ME?" He screamed again.

"Kadaj..."

"Answer me!" The silver haired boy grabbed the collar of the blonde man's shirt, demanding an answer. His green eyes were once very evil looking and Cloud could see the strong hatred burning in them, but he also saw the painful tears in them. Cloud only blinked, turning his head away.

"Because...I don't want to kill anyone anymore..." he confessed.

Kadaj gasped softly, losening the grip on Cloud's shirt.

"...N-Nii-san."

Cloud looked back at Kadaj, and realized that the boy had suddenly calmed down so quickly.

"Get some rest. You'll need it..." Cloud got up from the bed, but Kadaj quickly grabbed his arm. "Wait! Please..."

Cloud blinked, turning around.

"Please...stay..."

"I can't..." He shrugged off the hold on his arm and immediately left the room, leaving the silver haired boy alone in bed. Kadaj cursed something under his breath when something throbbed violently against his head. The youth clutched one hand onto his hair, trying to make it go away, but it got worse instead. His head hit the pillow as he forced himself down, sighing deeply. He stared at the blank cieling with half lidded eyes. His long bangs covered the right part of his face, covering half of it, but it never bothered him. He closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep once more.


	2. Forgiveness

Chapter two: Forgiveness

"Hey kids! Breakfast!" Tifa yelled.

"I'm hungry!" Marlene exclaimed.

"Me too," Denzel yawned. "Ah, Tifa, has Cloud returned yet from yesterday?" the child tugged at the woman's shirt. Tifa frowned, remembering the small argument between her and Cloud from last night. "...Yes."

"Really? Where is he?"

"I'm not sure, but I think he's still sleeping upstairs..." Tifa brushed a finger against her cheek.

"I'm here." A voice came from not too far.

Cloud walked up and smiled at the two children.

"Cloudo!" Both of them yelled, running up to hug his leg. Cloud almost lost his balance, but managed to stand without falling. He smiled softly, one gloved hand gently ruffling Denzel's hair, and the other resting on Marlene's shoulder.

Tifa's anger started fading as she only watched Cloud's smile grace his features, and it was rare for her to see the man smile for once. She smiled, walking up to the threesome. Cloud noticed her approach, and his smile quickly faded into a small frown of sadness.

"Tifa..." He spoke softly.

"Cloud," Tifa smiled, reaching her hand out to him. Cloud looked down at it, then slowly took her hand in return. "Are you hungry?" She asked.

"No, I'm fine."

"Where are you going?"

"...I-I don't know. I just need some fresh air, but I'll be back soon. Tifa, can you please take care of Kadaj in the meantime?"

"What? Me?" Tifa opened her mouth.

"Hn," Cloud nodded, the usual serious look on his face.

"Oh Cloud...you have to be joking---"

"No, I'm not." He interrupted her. "Tifa, please,"

"Oh, alright!" She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

"Oh...Tifa..." Cloud added slowly, "I noticed something about Kadaj...I don't know what it is, but it appears to be that he has these odd mood swings."

"Mood swings?"

Cloud nodded once more. "He acts differently at random times when you wouldn't expect it." he told her more seriously, voice low.

"Are you telling me he has a multiple personality?" Tifa blurted.

"...No."

"I see." Tifa scratched her head, relieved.

"He's probably just...really lonely, and I'm sure it's frustrating for him since the treatment he's recieving is something he isn't used to, so he's not comfortable with it. Please...don't be too hard on him." Cloud lowered his head, frowning.

"I understand." Tifa sighed. "I guess everyone deserves a second chance after all, but I'm not sure how well the others would take this as well as you and I are..."

"You're right." Cloud sighed.

"Leave it to me...now get going." Tifa lightly pushed Cloud towards the door. "Go now, but come back soon."

"Ja," Cloud walked off, and rode his motorcycle.

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Kadaj moaned softly, eyes shut tightly from the pain. The wound had stopped bleeding, but it was sore and swollen badly. Beside his bed the youth heard small whispers, and his eyes shot opened with wide orbs, the teen gasping loudly. He heard small gasps beside from where the voices came from, and he jerked his head quickly towards the source of the commotion. Marlene and Denzel stared at him wide eyed with fear, mouth slightly opened. Kadaj quickly got up from his lying position, cringing badly in pain in the meantime while attempting to sit properly.

"What do you want?" He demanded coldy, eyeing the children at the corner of his green eye." Well?"

"What's all the racket?" The boy heard a female voice behind the door, and soon it opened. It was Tifa.

"Tifa!" Both marlene and Denzel ran up to her, clutching at her shirt tightly.

"It's okay kids..." She then glared at the teen sitting on the bed. "So...its you..."

"Yeah...so what?" Kadaj took his attention off the woman and stared at the window on the opposite side, brushing his long bangs away from his face.

"Look, you might as well show some little respect while you're supposed to be the guest in someone else's house."

"I never asked to be taken here." He pointed out simply. "Nii-san was the one who took me here in the first place."

"Nii-san? You mean Cloud?" Kadaj glared at her.

"Well...I trust you...for now that is." Tifa sighed, turning her back.

"Ne...how do you know I won't try anything to kill any of you again?" Kadaj sneered, despite his current weak state.

"Because I would have to kill you by my own hands then."

The silver haired boy smirked, slightly shaking the hair out of his face once more. "Wow... I didn't know a bitch like you could actually put up a fight. From what Loz told me with his battle with you in the flower fields, I heard you were pretty good at it."

"Look, you little-" Tifa then remembered the words Cloud had spoken to her, and how the man begged her not to be too hard on the boy. She sighed, lowering her fists.

"Something wrong?" Kadaj interrupted her thoughts, and she stared at the boy. He was so young looking, almost very feminine-like. Despite his young age, she knew very well how the youth was still very strong and skilled in fighting, so she didn't really take him that lightly after all.

"No..."

"Where is he?" Kadaj changed the subject.

"He said he needed to go somewhere, but he didn't specifically tell me where and why..." Tifa sighed. "He's so weird sometimes..."

"What's so weird with wanting to be alone? Maybe he just wants to be alone..."

"But he hates being lonely."

"No one ever said anything about you're lonely if your wanting to be alone for a good reason..." Kadaj simply pointed out.

Tifa was surprised at hearing the teen defend the blonde man himself, his own enemy. She sighed heavily, feeling sorry for the blonde. "He looks so depressed lately...I don't know why..."

"You should know by now that Nii-san is a pretty serious guy, so maybe it might seem to you that he's always depressed when he's always serious."

"That's not it. I know he's always serious...but... it's nothing. You don't understand." Tifa told him.

"Heh," Kadaj smirked, playing with the ends of his silver hair. "Nii-san...when is he coming back?" The smirk almost instantly faded from his face.

"I don't know. Why do you keep asking about him anyways?" Tifa asked curiously.

"Just wondering." was the boy's simple reply.

"Oh kid...and you might want to change into a different outfit. That leather one you're wearing is dirty and torn...you might as well be more clean. Oh, and come downstairs to eat some lunch, would ya?" Tifa went to the closet and picked out some random clothes, throwing them onto the bed. Kadaj simply stared down at the huge pile of clothing, and returned his attention back at the female, but noticed the woman had already left the room.

"Damn," The boy cursed lowly, picking up one of the shirts with a disgusted look.

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Cloud looked out into the ocean, a small sadness casted upon his facial features. His motorcycle was parked not too far from where he was at. The cool wind in the air gently russled his spiky bangs, pushing them back from his forehead, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment, attempting to clear out some thoughts. The blonde man needed some time to think everything over carefully, whether or not he made the correct decision or not.

It confused and frustrated him greatly, and it drove him almost insane, but Cloud never showed his emotions of feelings that easily towards others since the concern only made it worse for other people surrounding him. He wanted to be forgiven for everything, and he knew blaming himself constantly all the time for the death of Aeris and Zack didn't help at all. He learned to live on with his own life and accept it, but it still haunted him greatly. And now having a new problem with Kadaj, his own enemy, saved by him himself, was added to his new problem to deal with now.

He remembered when he stood back to back with Aeris in the flowerfields, her arm resting softly against his shoulder, comforting him. He liked the feeling; it felt warm. And at that exact moment he knew himself that he wasn't really alone. He was surrounded by a lot of people. Tifa, Cid, Vincent, Barret, and everyone else that he had encountered had been by his side in the battles. He wanted to think about life more positively, and he knew he always had friends who would always be there for him, but something else always bothered him. Was it that young boy, Kadaj?

"Kadaj..."

He felt some kind of strange bond between him and the teen, but he didn't know what. He knew no one would understand him if he told anyone about his new relationship with the boy, except that everyone knew that both him and the silver haired youth had fought countless times.

Cloud hopped back onto his motorbike, putting his sunglasses back on from the bright shining sun, and drove to where he could possibly find some new answers for himself.

It had been several hours ever since then, and it was getting dark once more.

Tifa had stayed with the children all day long, and was exhausted after taking care of them. Kadaj was her only concern at the moment, knowing the boy really didn't come out except the only time when she had to almost force the young man to eat for once.

"What's wrong with that brat? He also has the nerve to complain about my cooking..." Tifa thought mentally, crossing her arms and pouting with frustration. She continued washing dishes from the meal that the silver haired teen had ate a couple of hours ago along with the other's, and cleaned the counter.

"Tifa," Marlene spoke softly, "I'm scared of him. Does he have to stay here?" She lightly tugged onto the older woman.

"I'm afraid so," was her only reply, staring at the foor where the youth had shut awhile ago to go back to his room.

"But he's the one who possessed Denzel!" the child complained.

"Listen, Marlene," Tifa gradded her shoulders. "He has no where else to stay, and he's sick...Cloudo told me to take care of him until he comes back..."

The child bit her lip and looked down, and the woman smiled.

Shut

"Who could that be now?" Tifa sighed, releasing her hands off the girl. "Ah, Cloud. Back?"

"Hn," Cloud answered back with a small nod, sapphire blue eyes casting down slowly. "And Kadaj?"

"He's fine...he went back upstairs." Cloud's eyes widened.

"He's awake? He didn't try to do anything, did he?"

"No, no...stop worrying so much Cloud. He was looking for you earlier...don't know why."

A pause.

"You should go see him..." Tifa smiled at the man.

Cloud lowered his eyes once more, not replying...

Kadaj heard the conversation between the blonde swordsman and the woman behind the door. Curious, the silver haired teen pressed his face softly against it. He heard footsteps approaching; it got louder and louder. He suddenly jerked back, almost frantically, but loosened up when the footsteps faded away lightly, causing the boy to continue listening intently of any more words from the ex SOILDER, but cursed very lowly when he could no longer hear any more sound. Then, suddenly, the door opened, sending the youth in an instant jump.

Pair of green eyes met with sapphire blue ones, and a small gasp was heard almost faintly when Kadaj only stared at the other man standing before him.

"Nii-san," Kadaj looked down, his bangs hiding half of his face. "You're back."

Cloud blinked slowly, staring at the new clothes Kadaj wore. Kadaj noticed this, and suddenly glared softly at the blonde man. "What?" He demanded lightly.

"You're clothes." Cloud told him.

Kadaj scoffed softly, turning his back to the other. "That girl..."

"Tifa?" Cloud asked, voice sounding half curious. The blonde suddenly paused, looking thoughtful, but Kadaj didn't see him. "Your wound-"

"It's fine." The boy interrupted gently. "I want to kill that girl..." he spoke suddenly with a strong passion. Cloud narrowed his eyes.

"She took care of you---"

"I never asked for it." Kadaj spat back, turning around and catching the slight surprised look in Cloud's blue eyes. "Tell me, Nii-san," He walked up to the 23 year old blonde, almost very closely. "What makes your eyes so blue?"

Cloud was silent, unexpected by such a random question from the curious boy.

"Mako." Was the man's low response. He turned his head slightly to the side.

"Ahh," The youth smirked softly, eyes half lidded. "They're pretty." The boy brought his face closer to get a better view of them, but Cloud, suddenly making a quiet noise and feeling a bit uncomfortable, stopped him by gently grabbing the youth's shoulders, slowly pushing him back. "Stop..." he told the boy quietly. Kadaj blinked.

"I wasn't going to do anything." Kadaj said gruffly. He turned hishead to the side and looked away immediately, almost childishly. Cloud stared at him, never taking his hands off the youth's shoulders. "Why...why did you save me?" he asked again in a more quiet voice.

"I told you."

"And mother-"

"Enough about her!" Cloud cut the boy off, closing his eyes tightly shut. "You're free now." The blond whispered. Kadaj stared at the blonde man, and noticed the great look of frustration and anger shown strongly on Cloud's face. The man kept his eyes closed tightly, seemingly not wanting to open them from some kind of pain hidden behind them, for he himself didn't know of for sure.

"Nii-san?"

Cloud opened his eyes again, slowly. The blond swordsman felt himself loosening his muscles when the young man standing in front of him doesn't even try to stop the momentum from sending him staggering forward as he rested his head against the man's right shoulder. Cloud turned his head, his lips almost brushing against Kadaj's soft hair.

"I'm tired." Kadaj sighed, feeling weak once more.

"Then go get some rest." Cloud's voice was calm and low.

"Will you stay?" Kadaj murmured, sounding a bit more serious.

"Kadaj..."

"Nii-san," Kadaj said again, because he can, because he knows now that Cloud hasn't denied him after everything he had already done. "Do you despise me?"

Cloud hesitated, but spoke softly, "No..."

"Doishite?"

"Because everyone deserves a second chance." Was Cloud's final word, before resting one hand hesitantly on the teen's back. Kadaj's lips widened, smirking softly again by the man's words. He closed his eyes with that same small smirk on his face, slightly shifting his head against Cloud's shoulder. "Do you always give everyone second chances? Is that part of your personality?"

"I learned to forgive myself and other people." Cloud whispered, closing his eyes for a moment as he felt the boy's silver hair press against his bare neck.

"You're too serious, but a good person...aren't you..." Kadaj groaned softly, falling foward. Cloud caught him, eyes widening in surprise.

"Kadaj...!" Cloud said the boy's name quietly when he caught the teen by his shoulders. The boy had passed out from lack of energy. Cloud then only heard one more last word escape from the boy's pale lips, sounding like a desperate small whimper, "Nii-san..."

Cloud picked him up, and carried him to the bed.


End file.
